Pregnancy by Weeks

Welcome to our “Pregnancy by weeks” section! Many congratulations! As the fact that you’re reading this, suggests that you’re probably pregnant already or planning to conceive soon. We have tried to provide helpful and authentic information for you to take guidance during the entire course of your pregnancy. Information for each of the forty weeks (give or take two) of pregnancy as well as postpartum period has been arranged so as to assist you with them.

Use our due date calculator to determine how long it’s been. In each of the “__ week’s pregnant” sections, there are valuable bits of information about your little one’s development and the changes that your body is going through. FAQ’s related to pregnancy and each of its forty weeks or three trimesters have been focused on.

Each section is available for you to read as many times as you want to; all a mere click away! We want to ensure you get maximum benefit out of the information provided here.

The length of a pregnancy can vary, so in order to generalize the beginning and duration of a pregnancy, obstetricians and healthcare providers calculate the length of pregnancy starting from thefirst day of the mother’s last period. This is due to the fact that women can usually not tell when the egg was fertilized. In contrast, they more often than not, know the date of their last period. This helps increase accuracy.

First Trimester of Pregnancy, Weeks 1 to 12

Congratulations! You have now entered the first trimester of the 9 months’ journey that is your pregnancy. A trimester spans 12 weeks usually, so the first trimester stretches from week 1 to week 12. Your body undergoes many inward and outward changes that can sometimes be a cause for concern, but this isn’t always the case.

If provided with proper knowledge about it, you will have an idea of what goes on during this phase of your pregnancy, and this should help you handle your pregnancy symptoms more effectively. Enjoy the journey despite all the difficulties that it presents, because in next to no time you will have your own baby in your arms to make it all worth it.

Pregnancy symptoms

The most common early pregnancy symptoms that women experience during this time include

Nausea

Fatigue

Backaches

Mood swings

Stress.

All of these symptoms are normal occurrences during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, so there is no need to worry – yet.

Blame the hormones

You may blame your increasing hormone levels, for all the discomforts that you may be facing in the first trimester. The hormones include:

These hormones, while supporting your pregnancy and making your baby grow, can cause all the symptoms mentioned above. Remember, though, that if these side-effects are not experienced, you’re at a higher risk of miscarriage because the lack of these symptoms indicates malfunctioning of these hormones. Also, these rather frustrating side-effects subside towards the end of the first trimester.

Mind you, if you haven’t already quit smoking and drinking, you need to do so immediately in order to prevent your baby from their adverse effects.

First Prenatal visit

Your first prenatal visit is to be scheduled during the first trimester of your pregnancy, and you need to ensure you have enough time when you visit your doctor. This first visit is a comprehensive one as your doctor will take detailed medical history and conduct a full physical examination to make sure you are fit to conceive your baby. Be patient and cooperative.

Most women pay a visit to their healthcare provider for the first time after they detect their pregnancy, usually sometime between weeks 8 and 10 of their pregnancy. The provider at this point discusses with you any aspects of your medical and sexual health or family history that may impact your pregnancy and your baby later on. To confirm your pregnancy, the provider may perform an ultrasound scan of your abdomen, and that’s when you can first greet your little tyke!

Many women will also be able to hear the baby’s heart beat for the first time by about week 12, though it may take a little longer in some cases. Excited?

Congratulations! The rather uncomfortable first trimester is history now.

Beginning thesecond trimester of pregnancy is a welcome relief for many women, especially those that had severe morning sickness and other intense early pregnancy symptoms, as these begin to subside when the second trimester starts, which is a welcome scenario.

The second trimester marks the period from the third to sixth month of pregnancy and is often termed “Honeymoon stage” of pregnancy because a decrease is seen in the number of pregnancy symptoms that some women experience.

Expanding Belly

Your belly is starting to bulge by this time, for your friends and family to appreciate, in your second trimester. As your pregnancy progresses, you will begin feeling proud of the baby bump because it has your baby growing within! You’re almost half way through your pregnancy and much closer to holding your very own baby in your arms!

Women start “showing” during this trimester and the hormones begin to level off, causing a mood swing for the better. Most mothers-to-be begin feeling great about their bodies and see an uplift in their mood during this time of their pregnancy. The time is now ripe for planning the décor of your baby’s room!

Regular check-ups

During the second trimester you will need to continue visiting your healthcare provider every four weeks until the onset of week 28, when these visits will increase in number. The symptoms of nausea and fatigue usually disappear around this time and a noticeable change is seen in the body itself. A backache, associated with your pregnancy, may begin too, causing slight discomfort while sleeping which can be countered by pregnancy pillows. It’s now time to wear maternity clothes and show off your growing belly proudly!

Rapid growth in the baby

Rapid growth occurs in the baby itself too during the second trimester. First signs of movement in your abdomen can be felt usually beginning any time between the 18th and 22nd week of pregnancy, though they may appear earlier in some cases, particularly second pregnancies. The weight of your baby increases to 1.2 pounds and the height to about 8.5 inches by the end of this trimester. The baby’s face and body become increasingly human-like in shape, the heart beat can be heard, and even the sex of the baby may be determined through ultrasound towards the end of the second trimester of pregnancy.

Energy surge in the mother

The mother feels increasingly energetic during this period and may face an inability to sleep. Frequent bathroom visits are reduced during this trimester. Regular exercise is often recommended during this trimester to channelize and utilize the energy better; it will help counter the prevailing insomnia and make you feel better about your body not just during the second trimester, but throughout the entire course of your pregnancy.

Congratulations! You are in the third trimester of pregnancy, (6th to 9th Month) . You are only weeks away from having your own baby in your arms!

It is time for the baby bump to grow more, so don’t fret; be proud of the baby inside you! During this period, continuous increase in weight is witnessed by most women; this may make you feel like your tummy will burst any time. However, nothing of that sort is going to happen so you may as well cherish the bump as a beautiful memory. It means your baby is developing and is healthy.

As the time to deliver the baby nears, try to rest as much as you can and listen to everything your healthcare provider has to say, as it will help the delivery to go as smoothly as possible. The constant increase in the baby’s weight and size means that your backache is likely to increase during this last phase of your pregnancy. It is also likely that you will get tired more and more easily as the trimester progresses, so remember to take ample rest. The lungs and respiratory system of the baby, meanwhile, continue to mature.

Between 37 and 42 weeks your baby is completely mature, ready for birth. The Braxton-Hicks contractions begin during this time and go on to become severe labor pain soon enough, making you eject the baby from your vagina. When you deliver, your baby will weigh on the average of 7.5 pounds and be about 18-21 inches long.

Women see a reiteration of the first trimester’s pregnancy symptoms during the third, though this is nothing serious. Due to the increased pressure on your bladder being exerted by the uterus, you may need to visit the bathroom frequently. Insomnia is another condition that occurs during this time, and it is advisable to stay comfortable in your bed and use as many cushions as you might need.

Try sleeping on your side with a body pillow placed between your legs. An additional pillow tucked behind your back will help improve your comfort further. Some women, in contrast, get comfortable only while sleeping in a propped up position. Judge what is best for you and proceed accordingly. Remember, getting comfortable is the key.

In addition to the frequent urge to urinate, heartburn may also be getting worse due to the pressure being exerted by the uterus on your other organs. It is common and normal so you don’t need to worry. The best remedies are to eat smaller meals and to avoid lying down for at least two hours after eating.

The third trimester is bound to be exciting for you though, as you approach delivery. All the discomforts of the 9 month journey are about to pay off, and you’re as near to welcoming another member into your family as you can get before the actual delivery.